It is crucial for businesses producing military gear, such as armoured vehicles, artillery weapons, earthmovers, and military vehicles, to build their equipment in accordance with military specifications for size and shape. Picture courtesy of TATA Motors

The operational success of any professional military force in the country is largely dependent on its ability to mobilise to the operational area and move combatants inside the conflict zone. A military unit may be deemed “unfit for war” if it is unable to evacuate its military post within the allotted time, which may include as little as two hours or as little as 45 minutes’ notice.

The topic of national mobilisation is broad. The Indian Army implemented the Cold Start strategy mainly against Pakistan in order to make sure that sizable military units are positioned and outfitted in a way that allows them to reach their operational areas ahead of the opposition. The heavy lifting of massive military formations over extended distances—mostly trans-theater—represents strategic mobility. Large aircraft like the C-17 or IL-76 class are the main source of preparation for the airborne forces for such mobility at all times. Military trucks and special trains are typically used to mobilise normal military formations. The size of the vehicles and equipment matters in both situations.

National mobilisation is a broad topic. The Cold Start plan was primarily used by the Indian Army against Pakistan to ensure that large combat forces are outfitted and positioned to reach their operational zones ahead of the resistance. Strategic mobility is exemplified by the heavy lifting of enormous military formations over long distances, primarily trans-theater. The airborne forces are primarily prepared for such mobility at all times by large aircraft such as the IL-76 or C-17 class. Normally, standard military formations are mobilised using special trains and military trucks. In both cases, the vehicles’ and equipment’s sizes are important.

It is crucial for businesses producing military hardware, such as armoured vehicles, artillery weapons, earthmovers, and military vehicles, to create equipment that complies with military specifications for size, shape, and mobilisation. OSD (Over Sized Dimension) refers to the vehicles or equipment that do not fit on regular military rakes or aeroplanes. The enemy’s satellites are constantly monitoring these military actions during the mobilisation. Governments cannot afford to have laborious, slow-moving mobilisations. The effectiveness of military mobilisation depends on stealth and quickness.

The forces must be extremely manoeuvrable and mobile once they are in place. Americans used the term “Jeep” to refer to a general-purpose vehicle that was widely utilised for reconnaissance.

Combat mobility and operations require a vehicle that can be modified in military workshops, repaired in the field, and then made suitable for long-term maintenance and repair (MRO) assistance. In order to provide universal cross-country mobility without losing the Centre of Gravity (CoG), it must have a low weight-to-power ratio. It ought to have robust anti-roll protection and be able to roll over and regain the top position. In winter or snow, the tyres of the vehicle must provide adequate grip on plains, deserts, and roadways; non-skid chains should no longer be necessary in locations that are snow-bound. The trucks used to transport troops need to be resilient enough to resist splinters, direct gunshot wounds, and belly strikes. Further fireproofing of the store and equipment-carrying vehicles is required.

The militaries are constantly and progressively deploying advanced military hardware into combat zones. The majority of car electronics require power and security. Although it might take some time, EVs will revolutionise and offset the power generation in military conflict. Certain combat vehicles require two conventional engines that can switch between providing propulsion and generating electricity. Both engines are capable of producing traction and power independently or in tandem when needed. It is not necessary for both engines to have the same power or to only run on one kind of fuel. These vehicles ought to be able to easily reconfigure to carry out the hook-pull-push tasks of articulated all-terrain vehicles.

Palletisation models are required for quick mobilisation. The industry must configure the pallets for road, rail, and air mobility in a way that allows for quick mobilisation. Combat loads also require palletization. Because military logistics must accommodate a wide range of terrain, operational cycles, and manoeuvres, they are straightforward but difficult. The military is constantly innovating. Combat kits that enable the same vehicle to carry out several tasks should be installed on military transports. When loading big munitions boxes, the self-recovery winches can be useful for drawing the small pallets into the truck body. Some cars require waterproofing in order to be able to float or go deep fording, even with minor adjustments. For an injured soldier who is laying in the mountains, military ambulances are rarely comfortable. The function of

The future of swarm warfare with autonomous vehicles is “Internet Inside” for combat vehicles. No vehicle can be considered non-combat throughout the engagement. Every type of vehicle—troop-carrying, store-carrying, specialised, and logistical—must be able to perform many roles during conflict. Each producer of military vehicles is required to designate the vehicle’s CW (Combat Worthiness) value. Future conflicts will likely be networked, transparent, extremely volatile, and demand great speed, manoeuvrability, and survival. As a result, military vehicles will certainly be subjected to a rigorous test unlike any other. High redundancy, self-recovery, and self-healing qualities are required for battle columns. Secure tracking and location systems are required for military vehicles. Ground-based hopping positioning devices would guarantee that a combat vehicle has location spoofing integrated within it.

For mosaic battles, the combat monitoring and control vehicles would be required. The column and combat leaders should be able to view themselves from space and terrestrial sensors as and when the autonomous hostilities begin. This would be required for the commanders to make any evasive or proactive decisions. It would be expected that all commanders are part of the networked OOSDA (Observe-Orient-Share-Decide-Act) loop. For these vehicles to interfere with incoming guided ordnance that is aimed at a vehicle or a column, they would need to be equipped with built-in jamming radiation. For these vehicles to produce these energy waves, they must produce more power.

Models such as C-295 aircraft, C-17 Globemaster, IL-76, and C-130 that can be airlifted by Chinook helicopters and planes must be taken into consideration by military vehicle designers. It is possible to load, take underslung, or even paradrop the vehicles and firearms. The established Indian manufacturers, including Tata, Ashok Leyland, and Mahindra, have histories in the production of tractors and trucks, which call for robust, heavy-duty designs and materials. Similar to the previous three companies, Force Motors began as a manufacturer of light commercial vehicles before transitioning to the production of military-grade vehicles. Defence heavy lift and robust mobility designs were produced by industrial companies like as BEML, Kalyani Group, and Midhani, which utilised their conventional manufacturing skills and material expertise. These producers now supply conventional warfare.